ATTORNEY GENERAL SIDESTEPS POT ISSUE

Lockyer's Speech At Democratic Fund-raiser In Ukiah Stresses Civil Rights
Record, Not Marijuana Bill

UKIAH -- State Attorney General Bill Lockyer touted his civil rights
efforts but said little about the controversial North Coast issue of
legalizing marijuana during his visit Sunday to Ukiah for a Martin Luther
King Jr. celebration and a Democratic Party fund-raiser.

Dashing the hopes of some members of the audience, Lockyer didn't mention
Measure G, a Mendocino County initiative that calls for legalization of the
personal possession and use of marijuana. The measure passed with 58
percent in November.

In only a few sentences at the fund-raiser, Lockyer summarized his support
for the state medical marijuana law. Then he moved on to other topics, such
as the environment, elder abuse and crime prevention.

Afterward, Lockyer said he sees Measure G as a way to fill the gaps in the
state medical marijuana law passed four years ago. But he emphasized he
doesn't have much power to address the disagreements surrounding how
marijuana law should be carried out.

"I think people are looking at the wrong direction for guidance," said
Lockyer, adding that it's up to the Legislature to clarify the law. "It's
more of a medical issue than a law enforcement issue. I am not competent to
give medical advice."

Richard Johnson, acting chairman of the Green Party, which spearheaded the
Measure G campaign, said Lockyer danced around the issue and isn't
enforcing the medical marijuana law.

"The Democratic Party has a blind spot when it comes to marijuana issues,"
Johnson said.

What Lockyer did emphasize at the fund-raiser and later at the King event
was his achievements in enforcing civil rights law.

Using statistics on the disparities in income, life expectancy and homicide
rates between white and black people, Lockyer talked about his creation of
a civil rights enforcement unit when he took office two years ago and the
community forums he has held throughout the state on hate crimes.

He pointed out that the unit, with seven attorneys, is the largest in the
country.

"I want to run the Department of Justice, not the Department of Just Us,"
said Lockyer, winning laughter and applause from the audience at St. Mary
of the Angels Church, where the King celebration took place.

Organized by the Martin Luther King Jr. Observance Committee, an
independent community group, the celebration included performances by adult
and youth choruses, essay readings by students and taped speeches by the
famed civil rights leader.

"He died doing what he thought was right and ended up saving a lot of
people pain," said Lauren Simmonds, an eighth-grader from St. Mary's School
who read her essay about King in front of the audience.

The event also honored a mother and her daughter for their work in feeding
the needy.

Birdie Marabel, 76, began offering food out of her home to whoever needed
help 20 years ago. The charity work grew in size and was moved to the Ukiah
Senior Center. When Marabel suffered a stroke eight years ago, her
daughter, 58-year-old Lillian Brandon, took over.

"My mother never turned anybody down. She used to clothe and feed them, and
she instilled that in me," Brandon said.